Sunday, September 23, 2012

Quote of the Day

"The problem the Big Two have isn't wanting to make money, it's how
they're going about doing it. The current business model from Marvel and
DC isn't working--the highest selling books are hitting maybe 200,000.
Throw in Comixology and piracy and maybe 400,000 people read the MOST
popular books. Superhero comics are overpriced, too often shallow, and
cannot seem to break out of the current trend towards irrelevance.

The
entire business model needs an overhaul, but the caterwauling of the
direct market prevents that. Superman, Spiderman, Batman? They don't
need comics. They're cultural icons with multiple films, cartoons, video
games, and a gigaton or two of merchandise. If the industry failed
today, then Warner Bros. and Disney still wouldn't have any trouble
using these characters to make billions.

But independent writers,
smaller publishers, and characters that don't have the mainstream
recognition? They need a comics industry. Scott Pilgrim doesn't get made
as a film first. Kick Ass doesn't get made as a film first. Whatever
your opinions of these books or their respective adaptations, comics
offer an ubridled testing ground for ideas that isn't limited by budget.

Trying to cultivate properties solely for movie deals is
missing the point entirely. DC and Marvel should be embracing what makes
comics unique and different, going after untapped markets, and
appealing to people outside the 18-45 white male demographic--and I mean
as a holistic initiative, not the token efforts made to grab headlines
IE gay Alan Scott and Green Lantern Baz."

-- "Chaltab," responding to the CA story on Greg Rucka's frustration from working with Marvel and DC. What's interesting is that the owners of these two comic companies (Disney and Warner Bros.) don't treat their respective animated cultural icons like their comic book ones. Think about how sparingly and purposefully Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny are used; now imagine how things would be if Superman and Spider-Man were treated in the same fashion.